Saturday, March 11, 2017

Make sure the cream cheese is cold and pinch off an egg-sized hunk and roll it in your dry hands to shape. Then roll it in colored sugar on a plate. Make sure to keep cold, or it will sweat and melt the sugar. Spread on graham crackers (I used cinnamon grahams). Easy and fun!

1. Prepare Bacon- Lay a piece of parchment paper over a baking tray and place bacon on top.Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar evenly over bacon. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until crispy.

3. On the stove top in a small pan, place nuts on medium heat and warm until golden brown and you can smell the nuts - that means they are done. Remember to keep moving the pan around in order to cook evenly.4. Do the same thing with the oats.

5. Then mix the wet ingredients - eggs, milk, butter.6. Then mix in the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and fold in the nuts, oats.

7. Once the bacon is finished cooking, drain quickly on paper towels and then move over to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to waffle mix.

8. Place approximately 1/4 - 1/3 cup of batter onto waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

My grandmother and mother as I have said before had green thumbs and beautiful yards. Azalea bushes were in their yards. The bright spring blooms showcases the bush Part of the Rhododendron family Azaleas are deciduous bush. The bush will shed its leaves in the fall.

Most varieties of Azaleas grow two to eight feet tall. The blooms on the bush are very fragrant as they put on a show in the spring time. Colors of white, lavender, bright orange, gold, red and purple colors allow the bush to shine. Azaleas are often small in size and therefore make perfect gifts for both Easter and Mother's Day.

As a young girl I was involved in many activities and groups. One of the groups I belonged to was 4H. It was in 4H that I learned about an amazing man known as Johnny Appleseed. Johnny was born John Chapman on September 26 1774 and passed away March 1845 from a winter plague. John was an American pioneer who introduced apple trees to the lands of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Because of his actions he became an American legend as a kind, generous man who was a leader in conservation with a major in apples. Not only did Johnny appleseed bring apples to the communities he visited but was also a missionary. Johnny appleseed has been the inspiration for many museums and historical sites. In Fort Wayne, Indiana in Johnny Appleseed Park there is a grave marking the spot where the man who planted so many apple seeds lays at rest.

Johnny Appleseed led a simple life and wanted for little. He did not ask and rarely accepted money. Johnny started his travels in 1797 in northwestern Pennsylvania. He would work his way into the western frontier and with each seed the legend of Johnny Appleseed would grow. Johnny would travel shoeless by foot, horseback or in canoe. Johnny was known for planting apple seeds but also for his appearance and kindness. Families were known to set an extra place setting in case Johnny would come visiting. Johnny would help farmers with their apple orchards that were planted. If he heard of an orchard in trouble Johnny would travel back to help. During the process of helping the orchard he would offer wisdom, care and kindness as he always did.

The story of Purim: The Persian empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he orchestrated a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen—though she refused to divulge the identity of her nationality. Meanwhile, the antisemitic Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther’s cousin), defied the king’s orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed, and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar—a date chosen by a lottery Haman made (hence the name Purim, “lots”). Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to G‑d. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies. On the 13th of Adar the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar they rested and celebrated.

On the Purim many Jewish Individuals will:

Head to the synagogue and listen to the Megalith reading (the story of Esther) It is here that you will hear about the antagonist Haman who was out to destroy the Jewish people. Since Haman was out to kill the whole group the Jewish individuals should stay together and therefore help those who need help. Before the end of Purim they each want to help at least 2 individuals in need. It is also important to offer food gifts to friends. One great idea would be this tasty treat:

3/4 c margarine, soft

3/4 c sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 drop water

1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

sugar (for sprinkling)

2 1/4 c flour

Cream margarine in mixer bowl. Add sugar and beat till fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon peel, and vanilla. Add in flour and salt. Beat in water a few drops at a time until dough starts to come away from sides of bowl. Place dough in a 2-quart size bag and form into a flat disk. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2-3 hours and maximum of 2-3 days. Roll out dough flat about an 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a round cookie cutter or the top of a cup, cut out circles. Spoon 2 cherries and a little bit of filling onto the dough circles. To fold into the shape of a hamentashen (a triangle) use both thumbs and the two first fingers on each hand. Slide two fingers from left hand under left side and two fingers from right hand under right side and two thumbs under the bottom of circle. Bring all fingers (with dough) together to form a triangle and try to pinch close. Repeat this process with remaining circles and dough. Place on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Sprinkle a small amount of sugar on top of each one. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or just starting to turn pale golden.

The purim will also include a feast, a group prayer and a skit explaining the story. For more information visit here

Spring is nearly here, March 20th will officially be the first day of spring. I for one am ready for it to be here and warm up a bit. I have a lady that I take care of that tells me that when she was a kid she really liked winter and the snow but now that she is older she could do without it. I am not sure if I ever liked winter?? It was always cold but as I get older it seems to be colder or perhaps that is just a sign of getting older. But the truth is we may get some snow this weekend and if we do I will be trying to plan how to make my spring greener.

I have visited a few nurseries and farm stores and took note of all the great bushes and trees that are available. Where I live I do not want to plant a large full size tree but dwarf trees and bushes would be great. Trees have a majestic feeling and many consider them the king of all plant life. Trees can add value to your home they are also great to watch grow. Trees help keep our homes cool in the summer months as well as providing beauty through out the seasons. Better air quality is also possible because of trees so by planting a tree you are helping the planet we all share.

Spring is the perfect time to plant trees. Do a bit of research to see what area is best to plant in your area. While researching you may find out other great information on the tree you plan to plant as well. April is the perfect time to plant a tree with April 22nd being earth day and April 29th arbor day. I can remember my older sister bringing home a tree that the school gave her and my mother planted that tree in the back yard where we watched it grow. It was a great memory marker of our childhood.

I love to use fresh herbs in the recipes I cook. Herbs can easily be grown outside in the garden or inside on a sunny windowsill. Herbs are perfect if you are looking to grow something year round. The sun and moisture your provide will help it grow. Having these herb plants will give you a chance to have fresh herbs in your cooking any time you want. Herb plants also make great gifts because you are giving the gift of nourishment. Herbs have many uses do a bit of research and find out what all they can be used for.

Another thing you can do all year round to help mother Earth is to use reusable bags rather than the plastic throw away kind. Plastics contaminate the earth's water and land. On average Americans use and waste almost 200 lbs. of plastic each year. Using reusable bags can help cut down on plastic use. A small one time investment in shopping bags that you can reuse will help you do your share. Remember habits take at least 3 times to make it stick so it may take a while but eventually you will remember the usable bags. Using 4 to 5 reusable bags in a year will allow you cut out approximately 400+ plastic bags.

I love the farmers market. I always find something new to try. Farmers markets always offer the best food available and the best thing is it was locally grown. Because the produce is grown locally your money is not paying for mass production and transporting goods. Nature intends to nourish our body while produce is in season and by seasons. Farmers markets are great for purchasing and learning what is in season.

If you are dreaming of a green spring I hope you understand and consider the tips I shared here. I would love to hear about your green spring dreams as well as any tips you have to share

Friday, March 10, 2017

Bagpipes are a wind instrument that uses enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Scottish Highland bagpipes are the best known bagpipes have been played throughout the world. Europe, northern Africa, and Western Asia. Bagpipe as well as bagpipes are proper names but pipers normally refer to the bagpipes as "the pipes"

March 10th is a great day to enjoy a Blueberry Popover. This is a great treat for breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert. Blueberry popovers are a healthy alternative as well. They are also more economical than pop tarts that many of us have been known to purchase. There is still one question that may be on your mind, what exactly is a popover?? I am getting to that.... read on

A popover is not a muffin or a cupcake. A popover is a hollow type of bread that rises when baked, hence the term popover. The recipe I am sharing below can be used with apples, strawberries, chocolate chunks or chopped nuts. You can feel free to use any of these ideas or something else of your choosing.

2 cups of all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 cup of sugar

4 tablespoons of butter or margarine

2 cups of non-fat or low-fat milk

2 cups of fresh blueberries

Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to about 350 degrees. Coat your muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray like Pam. Divide the butter evenly into each cup of the pan. Place the pan in the oven.

In a bowl, mix the milk, eggs, and sugar. Slowly pour in the all-purpose flour and whisk well.

Chop up the blueberries into smaller chunks or chop them up in the food processor. Ideally, you’ll want slightly smaller chunks of blueberries, just be careful not to turn them into mush.

Pour the blueberries into the batter and mix well. Take out the muffin pans and let them cool before you pour the batter into the pans. Put them back in the oven to bake. Leave them in for about twenty minutes or until soft and golden.

Blueberry popovers are a delicious treat to make day or night. These treats are also easy enough for kids to make with the help of adult supervision of course. Why not make this recipe a part of every Saturday morning?

Harriet Tubman Day celebrated March 10th since approved by congress in 1990. Harriet was born in Bucktown, Maryland around 1820. The year is not for sure as she was born into slavery. In 1849 she escaped from slavery and became a "conductor" on the underground railroad making at least 19 trips. There were great hardships and dangers that she would face but she believed in freedom so strongly that she would lead hundreds of slaves to freedom.

Harriet would become an eloquent speaker leading for support to abolish slavery. She was not only a conductor and speaker but also served in the civil war as a soldier, spy, nurse, scout and cook. Se also was the leader for newly freed slaves.

Mrs. Tubman led her life and fought the battle for human dignity, human rights, opportunity and justice here entire life. She was courageous ad dedicated to the causes. She believed in America and what it offered she wanted a common goal for all. March 10, 1913 Harriet Tubman passed from this world.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

This spinach salad is one that our family loves. The first time I ate a salad like this was directly after the tornado in 2012 when a friend brought us dinner as we could not fix supper as power was out and nothing was right Perhaps you all would like to make this elegant salad for your family or group this holiday season.

Combine raspberry vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, Dijon mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a small sealable container and shake vigorously to blend (be sure honey doesn't stick to bottom). Alternatively, combine vinegar, honey, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified.
In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries and pecans. Add the dressing little by little and toss until greens are well-coated (you may have a bit left over but you'll use most of it). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over top and serve.

In a microwave, melt butter and bittersweet chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate mixture. Gradually add flour until blended. Stir in chips and walnuts.
Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.
In a microwave, melt white chocolate with creamer; stir until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until chilled.
In another small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into white chocolate mixture. Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Fold in chopped candies. Spread over brownies. Cover and refrigerate.
In a small saucepan, combine bittersweet chocolate and cream. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth; remove from the heat. Stir in butter until melted. Cool to room temperature. Carefully spread over filling. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until icing is set. Cut into bars. Garnish with additional candies if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.
recipe source : Taste of Home

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

International Women's Day is a day that is celebrated around the world every year on March 8th. This holiday started on February 23rd 1909 when American Socialist Faction party organized women to discuss the woman right to vote. It was this great organization that inspired women around the world. Countries such as Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland would become greatly involved. The date March 8th was set to celebrate "International Day of the Woman Worker"

March 8th is often thought of as the day of love and admiration for women. Many consider females the loveliest creatures on Earth. The day that celebrates the Working Woman has not always been a day that was embraced. It was originally a day of struggle for women and the rights for equality in every day life, work and family. They were in search of equal voting rights.

One historical event that happened on March 8th occurred in the year 1857. It was a political event that masses of working women in New York joined together. Today though the day is not as political but a simple day to celebrate working women.

I hope that in my grand-daughters life time we will all treat each others as equals and not just one day a year celebrate the working women.

My take on this day is one that is respected. I have had my shares of working with men who have had their heads full of them selves. Men who would refuse to work side by side with me because of me being a woman. I hope in my daughters and grand-daughters life this will never happen.

Do you ever experience chronic fatigue or frequent bloating?? Have you had kidney stones, skin problems, or frequent recurring urinary tract infections?? Perhaps it is your kidneys

Toxins that remain in your system will build up in your kidneys leading to renal disease or renal failure. Healthy kidneys have millions of nephrons that filter out waste through the urine. Unhealthy kidneys lose the ability to efficiently filter out waste, and toxins start to build up in the blood. Excess waste in the body can cause nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, generalized weakness, change in taste and itchy skin.

Our kidneys work hard, perhaps they are the hardest working organ of the body. Our kidneys filter out about 30 gallons of blood and remove toxins and excess fluid every day. Kidneys monitor blood pressure, make red blood cells, regulate calcium that will help us build strong bones and helps balance electrolyte levels. Now that is a lot of work and all of it done by our kidneys.

Normally there are no early signs that kidney problems will display. That is why it is important to maintain healthy kidneys. Kidney disease symptoms include nausea, decreased appetite, swelling of ankles and lower legs, fatigue, itching and dry skin, foamy and bloody urine as well as a bad taste in your mouth. Our bodies are designed to naturally detox and remove excess uric acid from the body through urine. When our kidneys are not functioning properly the toxins can build up in blood.

We should eat lots of fruit and veggies and stay away from animal meats and fats as it has uric acid when struggling with kidney disease. Uric acid can crystalize in the blood and accumulate around the joints, creating arthritic pain. My sons both have gout and suffer with much pain during an attack. Foods high in uric acid that should be avoided when suffering from gout are red meat, chicken and fish, fats, yeast and beer. In addition it is wise to avoid excess sugar, salt and caffeine.

Spring is coming soon. That to me means it is time to start spring cleaning and getting the home organized. No need to get in a rush start early and allow yourself some time. Once organized you will see life may just become a bit easier. Enlist the family to help.

Begin in an area of the house where there is a lot of traffic. The living room and kitchen are the top two rooms used by the family. It seems that everything gets placed in these two rooms. The first thing to do is to place attention on getting everything to where it belongs. The room should be set up so that the problem will not continue on.

Storage containers are very useful for organizing the house. Storage containers have upgraded and now are very attractive and still very functional. Purchase containers that match your decor in each room and integrate them so that no one will notice they are used for storage.

Start organizing items into a few categories. Keep, throw away , give away and relocate. If items are meant to stay in that room then they go in the keep category. Everything else will fit in one of the other categories. Anything broken or ripped should be thrown away. Donate any clothes or other items that can be used by others but you do not need. Relocate anything that can be moved to another room.

Empty all drawers and cabinets one at a time. While this will take time it is something that will help in the end. Start with empty space that you can fill it with items that are meant to be placed there

Kitchen appliances or extra containers can be stored on top of the cabinets if possible. The top of the refrigerator for cereal boxes and breakfast food boxes I have a milk carton on top of my freezer that I keep chip bags in all contained in one place.

Label containers using tape and permanent marker. This will help to I.D. contents in storage containers.

Just think once your house is organized it is done you can sit back and enjoy all that you have done.

One of my favorite pasta recipes was shared with me at a difficult time in our lives. My sister lost her young baby and I was terribly upset about it. Knowing that I had mouths of my own to feed my friend sent over a large baked spaghetti casserole and all the fixings. I was thankful and felt love because she thought about me that way. While this is a pasta recipe and it is also spaghetti it is not the same recipe that we enjoyed In fact I have yet to find a dish like the one that she shared that day. Whether it was that it was so delicious or maybe it was because it meant so much to us I thank her for that and will never forget the thoughtfulness So when you think there is nothing you can do or that no one will care if you do anything it matters a lot. Just take my memory for example 20+ years later and I still look on it with fondness.

It is another one of my "lickdob" aka 'use what ya got' recipes.

You just need some basic ingredients and the rest is up to your customization.

It is no secret that I am a bit of whiner. This has most likely always been the case. My cousins tell stories to me about the younger me whining when I was picked on or someone took my toys. My friends at camp had me share a line in a play about being a whiner. My husband is my one and only fan at all times and still thinks at times I am a winer. There are most likely many others like me. While I am not annoying it does get to them a bit when it done.

Another fact about me is that I am hard working. I am one that never stops til the job is done. I love to feel needed and productive. As time starts running out I know it is time to work harder and not give up. At the end of the day when the goal was not reached it often leaves me feeling cranky and antsy. When this happens my stress level climbs up as well. Whether it be my nursing job, my blog or my family I have guidelines that I want to meet.

Each and every day the need of meeting an accomplishment is my goal. Sometimes working hard by myself is the perfect thing that I need to do to get my goals in order. in my own mind. Taking a long walk will do the same thing. When I have the goals in my own mind in order I am often go lucky but when I am all a mess I am difficult to live with. So why is it I get cranky and whiny??

I have to be able to meet my goal if not then I began to get bothered and unhappy then my annoying begins

If my workload begins to pile up and I get worried I will not get it all done. The frustration level gets there if I am getting the work done but the list is not getting any smaller

When I feel like a failure it gets me down but a bit overwhelmed as well. I am a person that has an idea of so much to get done. Trying to get these ideas to reality is sometimes hard to train.

How I get along with others often bothers me as well. I love to meet people, have conversations and have lots of fun. If some how a relationship with co-worker, friend or family member is not what I think it should be it bothers me. I often am the one that apologizes so that I can let go of it.

Being tired is one of the biggest time when I become a whiner and can annoy others. There is so much in my life that everyone that knows me says I do to much. I spend way to much time around others in my life. I often live exhausted with 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night.

While these may not be good reasons for being cranky, whiny or annoying they are what makes me that way. I truly am not looking for empathy, comfort or consolation. I am a very happy person most of the time but I know that I am who I am. These are the times that I am often most horrific and can be bothersome most of the time.

When you get like this it is time to Count Your Blessings and know that no matter what life hands you you can make it through